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2 Sheets-Sheet 1. W. H. RBPPETO'.

WIEE FENCE MAGEINE.

(No Model.)

No. 347,064. Patented Aug. 10.1886.

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(No Model.) i 2 SheetsfSheet 2.

4W. H. RBPPBTO.

WIEE FENCE MACHINE.

No. 347,064. I y Patented Aug.v '10, 1886.v

llllllllllllllll UNITED STATES PATENT Ormea.

WILLIAM H. REPPETO, OF FLORA,` INDIANA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 347,064, dated August 10, 1886.

` Application tiled May 16,1886. Serial No.20l,698. (No model.)

To all whom, it mag/concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. REPrETo, a citizen of the United States, residing at Flora, in the eountylof Carroll, State of Indiana, have invented'certain new and useful Improvements in Vire-Fence Machines, of which the following is a specification, refer-V ence being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to wire-fence machines which areintended to twist wire strands about pickets, and to do this at the place where the fence is to be built; and among the objects of the invention is the provision of a mechanisln for operating the twistes which will permit of a close approach of the machine to a post or other fixed object in the line of fencing.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will appear in the following description, and the novel features thereof will beparticularly pointed out in the claims.

- Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a perspective of a fence-machine embodying my invention and of a portion of a fence as constructed thereby. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the machine. Fig. 3 illustrates the system of gearing employed. Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 7 are details, hereinafter described.

Like letters refer to like parts in all the figures of the drawings.

A represents a bar or rod, which serves the function of a track along which the twisting mechanism is moved. The track is supported by posts B, whichmay be the fence-posts with which the pickets are connected by the strands.

l In this instance asingle roller, C, supports the machine D, in which are arranged twisters E, one for each pair of strands in the fence.

Referring to Fig. 3, which is an elevation of the frame work D with the face -plate removed, the circumferential lines of the gearing and the twisters being shown in dotted eircles,while their hubs or bearings are shown in full-line circles, as are also the bolt-holes for the faceplate connecting-bolts shown in Fig.

2 at a, it will be seen that four twisters are arranged in a perpendicular line with each other' and at one side of the frame-work or casing of the machine, and that they are connected with each other by means of a series of gears, F

to F, inclusive, arranged in a similar line with each other at one side of the twisters. rlhe gear F3 is the driving-gear of the syste1n,wl1ile the twisters mesh with the gears F, F2, F, and F, this arrangement rendering the gears F' F3 F5 intermedi ate gears or idlers. Then the gear F3 is rotated or partially rotated in one direetion, as indicated by the arrow thereon, all

'of the twisters are rotated in the same direction.

On the shaftfof the gear F3 are mounted two ratchets, G and H, each having the operative faces of its teeth opposite to those of the other, and upon said shaft, between the ratchets, is mounted pivotally a lever, I, carrying two pawls, J K, one on each side of the lever, and each extended beyond its pivot and connected by a rod, L, to a bell-crank lever, M, pivoted to the main lever I, so that when either of the bell-cranks is swung down into line with the main leverthc rod L draws upon the extension of the pawl and throws its opposite end into mesh with the ratchet eo-operating therewith, so as to convey the motion of the lever Ito the gear F, the ratchets being rigidly secured tothe shaft thereof. By using the other ratchet the gearing and twisters are rotated in an opposite direction. This construction and arrangement of the power-applying devices is more compact and convenient than the ordinary crank and miter-gear connectiomas the main projection is lateral with relation to the fence, and hence the machine itself can be operated more closelytoa post or other obj eetin the line of the fence. So, also, the arrangement of all of the twisters at one side of the machine permits of the use of either independent posts for the support of the track or rail A, or for that purpose the rail may be supported at the opposite side of the ordinary fence-posts to that to which the strands are secured. Again, the arrangement of the twisters and twister-operating gear in parallel vertical'lines tends to balance the machine when suspended by a single roller, so that the same operates more smoothly and is more conveniently moved from point to point during the operation of building the fence.

On the side of the machine opposite the gear-operating lever lisa bracket, N, in which is pivotally supported a lever, O, having at one end below its pivot aspacing-hook, I. (See Fig. 2.) One arm, N', of the bracket is formed after the manner ol' a ratchet, (see Figs. and 7,) into which the pawl I, pivotally mounted on the lever O, takes, so that when the free end of the lever O is forced in a direction from the machine, the spacing-hook I being placed upon the picket X, as clearly shown in Fig. I, the machine is drawn toward the picket, so that a freshly-inserted picket will he iirmly held in position bythe spacingblocks Q, secured to or formed as a part of the machine. In this instance the faces or' the blocks Q are recessed and adapted to receive removable spacingbloeks Q', which are preferably wedge-shaped and provided with beveled edges to fit the dovetail recesses of the blocks Q, so that thicker or thinner blocksQ' (sce dotted lines,Fig. 4) may be inserted in the main biocks, to adapt themachineto build fences in which the spaces between the pickets vary, or to adapt the machine to weave alternate wide and narrow pickets. This latter object, however, is also accomplished by means oi'the pawl-andratcl1ct mechanism lf" X', hereinbel'ore described. rlhe twisters consist of a `gear-wheel, Fi, having a hollow journal, E', over one end of which is placed a cup, El, the bottom ol' which is perforated, as at It, for the passage of the wires to be twisted. aboutthe pickets. The cup is secured in position by means of a pin, bolt, or screw, It. lly this construction cups provided witli perforations for different-sized wires may be substituted for cach other.

The tension device comprises an upright standard or post, It, which may be connected permanently with the usual spoolframe or other apparatus for supporting the wires in the form of coils; or said beam may be sup ported independently in any suitable manner in line with the felice being built. At opposite edges ofthe beam or post R are pivotally securedtriangular blocks R', the beam being eut away to receive the same. Screws or bolts lit serve to force the blocks iirmly against the inclined walls of the recesses formed in the edge ot the beam, post, or standard, so as to bind the strands Y therein and produce the desired tension. A suitable guy or guys, l", (see dotted lines, Fig. 1,) are employed for securing the tension-post It in position.

rlhe operation of the machine will be readily understood by persons skilled in this class ot' inventions from the description hereinbefore given.

In Fig. 7 there is illustrated a modification of the spacing devices,which consists in mounting the lever O upon a bracket, N', the ratchet-teeth of which are substantially square, in order to receive a square pawl, I, whereby a single pawl serves to hold the lever O against movement in either direction. Il` desired, the main lever I of the machine maybe provided with a single pawl and ratchet having teeth of the same character as that shown in Fig. 7.

From the lever 0, beyond its pivot, there extends a rod, I, which is connect-ed to a bellerank lever, l, mounted on a bracket, I, which lever is pivotally connected to one of the spacing-hooks I), and from the lever O, and at a point between its i'ree end and pivot, another connecting-rod, I, extends to a lever, I, pivoted to a bracket, I, of the frame l) oi" the machine, which lever P is pivotally connected to the other spacing-hook l. New, it will be noticed that when the lever O is oscillated, in one direction the hooks l) are drawn toward the frame l), and when the lever is oscillated in the opposite direction the hooks are moved away from the frame, so that spacinghooks arranged near each end of a picket may be operated to determine the position of the machine from the last picket inserted, and bymeans of the Several notches in the bracket N said spaces may be adjustably determined.

It will be noticed that in the system of gears, F to FG, employed each meshes directly with the other, and that the twistcrs are introduced into the system so as to receive motion from and yet so as not to be .employed to drive or give motion to the system, and the twisters are all driven in uniform directions by being in mesh with the iirst, third, iith, and seventh gears, and, fnrtl1er1nore,the power is applied, not to a twister, but to a gear, whereby all lost motion is taken up before either twister is moved to twist one set of strands ot' the tence more than another.

Having thus fully described my invention and its operation, what I. claim is-- l. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a frame-work or case, a series of directly-intcrmeshing gears, and a series el' twisters arranged to separately mesh therewith, substantially as spcciiicd.

2. In a machine of the class described, the combination ol' a system of directly-intermesh ing gears, a series of twistcrs meshing laterally with the same, a ratehetiixcd to theshaft of one of said gears, and a pawl-and-ratchet lever loosely mounted on said shalt, substantially as specified.

3. In combination with a system ol' gears and twisters arranged side by side, a pawl-andratchet mechanism mounted upon one ofthe in?, tei-mediate gears, and aseries oi' twisters meshing with the iirst, third, hi'th, and seventh gear in the system of gears, substantially as speciiied.

et. In a machine of the class described, a spacing mechanism comprising a spaci 1 ig-hook connected with a lever having a pawl and pivoted to a bracket a portion of which is formed as a ratchet, substantially as speciicd.

In a machine of the class described, a spacing block or bracket the face of which is dovetailed and provided wit-h a removable bearing-block, substantially as specified.

t3. A tension device for a machine of the class described, comprising a standard having opposite angular recesses, triangular blocks IOC ` G- H, lever I, pawis J K, rods L, bell-cranks movably mounted in said recesses, and means pawl Pf, and the hook P,substantially as shown 1o for adj ustably forcing and retaining the blocks and described. within the recesses, substantially as specified. In testimony whereof I affix my signature in 7 The combination of the gear F3, ratchets presence of two Witnesses.

M, the gem-s F F F2 F* F5 FG, and the twisters WILLIAM H' REPPETO' E, substantially as specied. Witnesses:

8. In a machine of the class described, the Jos. A. BRIDGE, combination of the bracket N N', lever O, ISAAC PRITGHARD. 

